The Doors of our Heart

[losthunter]

Many thoughts about his latent magic had given Hunter a lot to think about in the past few days. He really wanted to find someone to help him learn more about his abilities. And maybe, help him to become stronger.

Kendra was gone, but that didn't mean there weren't ways to find her. Or at least find the people that were connected to her.

Hunter had spent a few days looking for the right door in the Nexus that would bring him the answers that he sought. And finally, he felt that he had found what he had been looking for.

But before entering into an unknown place, Hunter knew that he should have a couple of people come with him. He PINpointed a message to Jim first, since it was an adventure that he thought the restless captain would enjoy. Then he PINpointed a message to Faris, who had become his story-keeper in a fashion.

All that left was to wait for his guests, before the adventure could begin.

Comments

[losthunter]

"He can detached part of himself off slightly. And speak." Hunter explains.

[boldygoing]

"Do you have to have, like, a bond with the person you're doing this with, or can it be anybody?" Jim asks curiously.

Faris moves a little on Hunter's skin, shifting position so that he can peer out of Hunter's neckline. "A bond is preferred, but not necessary. Not all species can serve as hosts, but humans seem to be perfectly suitable for K'da. I must return to this state at least every six of your hours, or else I will perish."

Jim files that away under important things to know. If something happens and they get separated for some reason, it's a comfort to know that Faris won't be totally screwed.

[losthunter]

"Faris was quite close to that perish point, when we first met in the Nexus." Hunter explains.

[poetwarrior]

"Yes," Faris agrees. "It was fortuitous that you approached when you did. I am forever grateful."

[losthunter]

"Another example of the Nexus leading the right person to where a new arrival was making their appearance."

Hunter leads them both into his art room. A painting of a door is there.

"I can only hope that I was the right person to find this door."

[boldygoing]

"From what I've seen so far, it'd be a hell of a coincidence if you weren't," Jim says, giving Hunter a reassuring look.

[losthunter]

"Thanks..."

"And it helps that I can do this..." Hunter places his hand on the painting. It glows slightly, and the door starts to appear as if real.

[boldygoing]

Jim hasn't seen that particular power in action for a while, but Hunter already seems more skilled at it than he did before. It's still a bit of a mindfuck, but he's on board with it. With just one question. "It's not gonna close behind us, is it?"

[losthunter]

"No. I have my PINpoint. And a way to get us back to my apartment." Hunter tells him.

He reaches for Jim's hand, a little bit of reassurance, before entering the door.

[boldygoing]

"Works for me." Jim doesn't hesitate to take Hunter's hand in his own, stepping through the portal at his side.

On Hunter's skin, Faris stays still, one eye peeking above the neck of the robe as they go through the door.

[losthunter]

There is a sensation of ripples of time against their skin, but other than that it is like entering any other door in the Nexus.

One moment, they are in Hunter's apartment. The next they are in a alleyway, close to a market square of a thriving Greek island. The sights... the sounds... the clear crisp air are all indicators that they are somewhere quite unique. And it sounds busy.

[boldygoing]

Jim holds still for a moment, sweeping their surroundings with a practiced eye, evaluating the environment for threats. It seems fairly benign, if busy, and their arrival doesn't seem to have been noticed.

Still, he feels a little naked without his phaser, and his fingers twitch as he hopes he won't need it.

A thought occurs, and he glances over at Hunter. "Are you gonna have any problems with the language?" He doesn't know if there's some kind of magical translation at work, or if Hunter secretly speaks ancient Greek, or something of that nature. If nothing else, his own universal translator implant should handle it just fine on his end, but that doesn't help Hunter at all.

[losthunter]

"Um.... shit..." Hunter had not really thought about that problem.

"I am sort of hoping some of that latent Nexus magic will apply here. Where I can understand them, and they can understand me."

Talk about going through a door a little underprepared.

[poetwarrior]

Faris' voice is quiet, emanating from high on Hunter's chest. "If you were led here by the hand of another power, surely that power will have considered this problem," the K'da says. "A way will be provided."

Jim glances towards Hunter, a little weirded out by the disembodied voice coming out of the other man's pecs. That's going to take some getting used to.

[losthunter]

"There is a Temple to Apollo in this village. We should head there first..."

"From what I understand from my research, Kendra might have been one of his Oracles."

[boldygoing]

Jim doesn't know much about ancient Greek mythology, but he's pretty sure Apollo is one of the major ones. So it stands to reason a temple dedicated to him would be a big one. "All right, let's see if we can find it."

[losthunter]

"It might be harder than you think. While Apollo was the God of the Sun... the claims were that he would rather money be spent on improving the health of his people, instead of a big temple. So the temple itself could actually be one of these homes..." Hunter gestured out to the tiny village itself. There were nearly 100 homes. Still a lot to search.

[boldygoing]

"Great..." Jim rubs at the back of his neck. As much as this Apollo guy sounds like the kind of god that'd do his people right, the lack of an obvious temple to go to is an annoying stumbling block.

"Perhaps we could ask for directions," Faris murmurs from Hunter's chest.

[losthunter]

"Good idea. I think one of those merchants might be willing to answer a few questions..." Hunter smiles at Jim. "They won't part with the information, without selling us something. One of us might have to barter us one hell of a deal, though."

[boldygoing]

That's a good idea, there's just one problem. "I don't have anything I can trade," Jim says, looking over at him.

[losthunter]

"Here..." Hunter reaches into a satchel at his side. And gives Jim a few pieces of decorative marble. "This should help."

[boldygoing]

Huh, well that's handy. Jim takes the marble in hand, mentally reviewing suitable cover stories for why they're here. In a small village like this, anyone local will probably be able to tell they're from out of town, and that's assuming that there won't be any language issues. "All right, I'll give it a shot."

He approaches the merchants, his steps casually measured, a faint smile on his lips as he raises a hand in greeting. "Hi there."

[losthunter]

"Greetings good sir! Welcome to Delphi!" The merchant seems to know that Jim isn't a local. But is gracious all the same.

"Are you looking for some fine silks today?"

[boldygoing]

That's a good sign. They get travelers often enough here that two strangers aren't terribly out of place, and the more people assume, the less lies Jim has to tell, and therefore the easier it'll be to keep the story straight. He puts on his charming captainly grin and meets the merchant's eyes. "Not at the moment, I'm afraid," he says, making an effort to scrub his more modern slang from his vocabulary. So far, the language doesn't seem to be an issue, but he can't tell if it's magic or his universal translator, and he doesn't want to risk muddying the waters with a modern idiom that might not come across the way he means it. "I was hoping perhaps you could direct me to the Temple of Apollo."

[losthunter]

"You look to be in good health, my friend. Why would you want to find the Temple? Especially, when I have so many beautiful silks to offer you..."